Wonderfruit 2019 line-up digest

Earlier this month the organisers released phase one of the festival schedule, we take a look and offer up our highlights so far.

Once again the Wonderfruit team have curated a world-class line-up for their annual lifestyle and music festival. 12th-16th December 2019 sees their sixth episode, and they’re flying over a now-familiar blend of acts from all dimensions of underground music - offering something to please fans across the board. With the likes of Breakbot, Craig Richards, Massive Attack’s Daddy G, and Trojan Sound System, they’ve covered plenty of bases.

The artists who’s names jumped off the page at us and made us happiest to behold are as follows.

Floating Points

Sam Shepherd, aka Floating Points, is one of our very favourite artists. As well as being an uncommonly talented musician, the Manchester native also holds a PhD in Neuroscience, is a co-founder of Eglo Records, and runs Pluto Records and re-issue label Melodies International. He burst onto the scene in around 2009, and first started making a home for himself in our record boxes with timeless releases like ‘Vacuum Boogie’ and ‘Love Me Like This (Nonsense Dub)’. He immediately stood out as having a sound of his own, and subsequent releases veer across musical realms, from jazz to techno and way, way beyond. From the spell-binding ‘Nuits Sonores’ to the blissed-out ambience of ‘Elaenia’, all of his work is highly accomplished and worthy of attention. Happily for us, he’s also a fantastic DJ. When we’ve witnessed his sets, he’s taken us on a joy-ride incorporating rare disco, jazz, jacking house and grubby motor-city techno.

Felix Dickinson

Felix is another one of our favourites. His DJ sets are hugely varied and dynamic, he has a definite flair for marrying psychedelic textures with little-known disco grooves and spaced out soundscapes, and we’ve rocked out to his twisted rhythms on many occasions. He’s been performing worldwide at the best parties for decades and is a regular on the international festival circuit - playing at Glastonbury, Love International and many others. His productions are no less diverse than his record selections. He’s amassed an impressive back catalogue of original music and remixes - with sounds ranging from freak-fuelled acid house through to infectious disco edits - he’s released on imprints including Let’s Play House, Rush Hour, Eskimo, DFA, Golf Channel, Claremont 56, Futureboogie as well as his own label Cynic.

Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy

Mentored by David Mancuso at his legendary NYC Loft parties, it’s fair to say Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy has some serious disco pedigree. The pair co-produced the ‘David Mancuso Presents The Loft’ compilation and worked together on David’s record label The Loft Audiophile Library Of Music. She is founder of the wildly popular album listening event and content hub Classic Album Sundays, hosts radio shows on BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 4, and Worldwide FM, and is a co-founder of London’s Lucky Cloud Loft parties - home to one of the best atmospheres you’ll find anywhere in the city. She has a deep knowledge of music and a passionate appreciation of audiophile sound. Alongside former Captain Beefheart guitarist Gary Lucas she recorded and produced as Wild Rumpus, and she’s remixed artists including The Rapture, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Candi Staton, Horace Andy, and Chaka Khan.

Nick The Record

Nick has been involved in the world of esoteric music for years. As a record collector and dealer, he’s sold rare disco and soul records to the stars, and in recent years he’s garnered much-deserved recognition for his diligent approach to collecting, encyclopedic knowledge of music, and ability to select the right song at the right time. Perhaps ironically for the UK based DJ, his career started strongest in Japan, where the Lifeforce parties he and his friends put together catapulted him into the hearts and minds of the Japanese party community. Back home he has a residency at Jazz Cafe in London and hosts the excellent Tangent parties with fellow digger John Gomez. He runs the Record Mission label alongside Idjut Boys’ Dan Tyler - where the duo release their carefully crafted edits - and has played internationally at Kala, Love International, Meadows In The Mountains, Dekmantel Selectors, and many other cool events and festivals.

Already much to look forward to then, and with more locally-based jocks to be announced in the coming months, hopefully the list of highlights will only get longer. You can get more info and grab tickets here. Roll on December!